Netflix Now: Marriage Story (2019) - Reviewed

Noah Baumbach's films are best known for using a blend of comedy and drama to focus on the relationships between family and friends, which is why his new film, Marriage Story, feels like a culmination of all of his previous work. Starring Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver as a couple going through an increasingly bitter divorce, Marriage Story is a depiction of love and separation the likes of which hasn't been seen since Kramer vs. Kramer exactly 40 years ago.

After opening with a montage centering on Nicole (Johansson) and Charlie (Driver) in the years prior to their separation, the film quickly brings things to the present, where we witness them go through the first awkward steps of their separation. Nicole and Charlie have a son named Henry, which further complicates matters as Nicole takes him to Los Angeles to further her acting career while Charlie remains in New York to begin production on a new play. As the film progresses, the situation gets worse as Nicole and Charlie bring lawyers into the mix and friendly exchanges turn into angry confrontations.

The film is structured around this divorce that slowly worsens throughout the course of about a year. It shows specifically how a series of miscommunications, hidden agendas, and outside influences are a driving force behind the state of their divorce. The film makes a point early on of showing how Nicole and Charlie interact with one another. They are friendly and civil. For Henry's sake, they'll make the divorce as simple and painless as possible. Each character is quick to make concessions to one another early on, but then a colleague recommends Nicole consider hiring a lawyer, which naturally leads to Charlie being forced into finding a lawyer as well. Eventually suppressed feelings begin to emerge, and the lawyers start pushing for more resolute measures. It's in these moments that the film displays its most unique trait, the ability to keep itself from designating a good guy and a bad guy. Most other stories about divorce tend to paint each party as either good or bad. Marriage Story makes it a point to keep things complicated on both sides, and not force its audience to side with Nicole or Charlie, instead allowing us to view things evenly and understand everyone's position.

We're on a train to nowhere.

Eventually, the tension leads to a climactic showdown between Nicole and Charlie where they lose all restraint and finally lay everything out. This fight ends up becoming one of the tensest, most dramatic scenes I've seen in a film all year. Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver have both already delivered incredible performances in several films this year alone, but their work in Marriage Story rises above the rest as they both deliver the performances of their respective careers. Of course, this film's supporting cast forms a great base for Johansson and Driver to work with. Laura Dern in particular stands out as Nicole's lawyer, Nora. Julie Hagerty, Merrit Wever, Ray Liotta, and Alan Alda also make significant contributions to making Marriage Story work so well.

While separation plays a prevalent role here, it can't go without mentioning that at its core, Marriage Story is really about a family coming together, in its own unique way. That's why it was so important to show both points of view without taking sides. As an audience, its vital for us to see these characters split apart while also finding a way to still care for one another, and work together to raise Henry. Marriage Story works so effectively in its ability to portray how a family can continue to function in unconventional ways. There's a realism here that's rarely seen. It's in this authenticity where Marriage Story really shines, and sets itself apart as one of the greatest dramas of the decade. Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver are best known for their pivotal roles in two of the biggest film franchises of all time; however, it would be a shame to overlook their work in this exquisite Netflix drama.

-Derek Miranda